NT has nation's highest child abuse rates

20 Jan 2012, 6:52 pm   -   Source: AAP
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A new report shows the Northern Territory has more than twice the rate of child abuse cases in other parts of Australia.

The Northern Territory has rates of child abuse and neglect more than double those of any other jurisdiction in Australia, a new report shows.

Figures in a report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare show 22.8 children per 1000 were found to be abused or neglected in the Northern Territory in 2010/11.

The figure is well above the next highest rate, in Tasmania, at 9.5 cases per 1000.

The lowest figure was in Western Australia, which had only 3.4 cases per 1000.

Institute spokesman Tim Beard said the NT's figure was pushed up by the high number of indigenous children in the territory, who were much more likely to be abused than non-indigenous Australians.

He said publicity from Dr Howard Bath's inquiry into the Northern Territory's child protection system, released last year, would have played a part in raising the figure.

"Every time there is an inquiry or a lot of attention on the system, notifications and substantiation rates tend to increase," Mr Beard said.

He said the NT government had also put money into child protection, which may have generated more cases being dealt with.

Mr Beard said Western Australia's low rate probably was an indication of different reporting rules.

In WA only suspected cases of sexual abuse are subject to mandatory reporting rules.

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